Oscillatory motor



G. H. LELAND OSCILLATORY MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1931 his ATTORNEY 1935. e. 'H. LELAND OSCILLATORY MOTOR Filed March 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4 7

M g IllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliliI-lflflllflillii h/ls A TTOR/VEY Patented July 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OSCILLATOR]! MOTOR.

George H. Leland, Dayton, Ohio, assignor of onehalf to The Leland Electric Company, a. corporation of Ohio Application March 20,

21 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic circuit breakers and closers and is designed more particularly for intermittently opening and closing one or more lamp circuits. Automatic switches of the mercury tube type have been used heretotore for controlling lamp circuits but in a Switch of this kind it is necessary that some means be'provided for so retarding or regulating the movement of the circuit breaker and closer as to provide a relatively slow and uniform movement thereof. The devices used for this purpose have not been entirely satisfactory and in the application for patent filed by me November 10,1930, Serial No. 494,570 I illustrated and described an 'automatic circuit breaker and closer which overcomes the objections to the earlier devices and the present application covers a further development of the invention of that application. One object of the present invention is to provide an automatic circuit breaker and closer adapted for use with direct current and having efiiclent means for controlling-the movement of the circuit breaking and closing element.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker and closer of this type in which the circuit breaking and closing element wlll'be' moved in one direction by gravity and in the other direction by an electrically operated device and in which the movement of the circuit breaker and closer element will be controlled or regulated by an inertia element which is separate from the electrically operated device.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a circuit breaker and closer which is simple in its construction and which is of such acharacter that it will maintain a. uniform timing of the circuits indefinitely.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the apparatus is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an automatic circuit breaker and closer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the'same; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 5' is a section taken on the line 5 -5 of Fig. 1; Fig. '6 is a section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. '2; Fig. 7 is a detail of the Irictionalconnection between the switch supporting member and the magnet armature; and Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram. v

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and that the apparatus may take various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

In that embodiment here illustrated the sevoral-parts of the mechanism are mounted on a supporting frame comprising a back plate I, which is mountedin a vertical position. The cir- 1931, Seh'al N'o. 524,105 (Cl. 172-126 cult breaking and closing element is piererably in the form or a mercury'tube switch, as shown at and this switch is mounted in clips 3 by a supporting member 4-. The supporting member is so arranged that it will be moved by gravity in one direction and it is here shown as an elongated arm pivotally mounted at one end on a stud 5 mounted inthe back plate l-. Preferably the supporting arm is rigidly secured to a sleeve 6 whlch'is rotatably mounted on the Stud. The supporting member and. the circuit breaker and closer carried thereby are moved in the opposite direction, that is, against the action of gravity, by an electrically operated device which is here shown as an electro-magnet I mounted on the frame l and having depending pole'pieces I between which is arranged a l shaped armature 3. This armature preferably has its axis coincident with the axis of the pivoted supporting member and, as here shown, it is rigidly secured to the sleeves which carries the supporting member. Preferably a power absorbing device is provided to gradually check the movement of the armature and supporting member at the end or each oscillation, and, in the present inst'ance, I have inserted a friction member between these ports. As here shown, the friction member is in the form of a plate ill, preferably of fiber, which is mounted for movement about the axis of the armature and which extends laterally therefrom and has its free end recessed, as -shown at I I, to recei'vea fixed stud II. The length of the recess is such that the ends thereof will engage the stud and interru t the movement of the plate before the armature and supporting member have completed their movement in either direction. Connected with the supporting member 41s a friction element I3 which bears against the plate it and forces the latter against the end of the armature with sufficient force to cause the plate to move'with the armature and supporting memher but which will permit a continued movement or the armature and supporting member against frictional resistance after the movement or the plate has beeninterrupted. In the present device, the supporting arm 4 extends some distance beyond its axis and theniction member'lfl is in the form of an elongated late which is connected with the supporting arm for movement therewith and has a curved or bowed portion to exert pressure on the plate It; A set screw l4 serves to adjust the pressure of the member is on the plate I0.

Connected with the supporting member 4 pro:- erably at the free end thereof, is an inertia-element, which is here shown as a rotary disk carried by a shaft li rotatably mounted in bearings I8 and l9 supported on the main frame. Connected with the shaft i1 is a inion which may; ifdesired; be formed integral with the shaft .60 I uppQrting member approaches the'limit of its V meshes with a toothed rack 2| car- I have also providedmeans for cushioning the reversal of the movement of the supporting member. This cushioning means issubstantially identical with that shown and described in the above mentioned application and, briefly, it comprises -an'arm,22 secured to thesleeve 6 near the back plate I, and having adjustably mounted thereon a finger 23, which extends through a tapered pening 24 in the back plate and is arranged between the upper and lower stretches of an endless resilient band 25. whichris mounted on the rear surface of the backplate. This finger will contact with one or the other of the stretches of .the yieldable band as the supporting member approaches the limit of its movement in either direction, thusyieldably checking that movement.

.Thecontraction of the band, after it has been engaged by the finger, will tend to impart areverse movement to the finger and to the supporting member and thus facilitate the initial move- .ment of the supporting member in the opposite direction, Thetapered or converging edges of the opening 24 constitute stops to positively limit the movement of the finger and of thesupporti ing member atfixed points. The fingerj may be adjusted lengthwise of the arm 22 and the angular arrangement of the fixed stops, or. edgesof the opening, is such that in any adjustment tion of the device and are used only to prevent the ofthe finger on the arm'th'e arm will move the same distance and will occupy the same angular position when the finger engages the fixed stop.

When the finger is positioned near that endof the arm remote from theaxis the finger will engage .the yieldable band earlier in the movement of the arm than it will when the finger is close to the axis of the arm. andthe band will be placed under greater tension with the result that ,it willimpart a quick return movement'tothe iarm, thus speeding up the action of the switch. The positive stops are not necessary to the operasegment being moved out of mesh with the pinion. a The electrically operated device l is so connected with the circuit breaking and closing, element} that when the supporting. member and circuit breaking and closing element approach the lower limit of their movement by gravity the circuit will beclosed andthe electrically operated device energized toimpart'movement to the supporting member in the opposite direction. As the ,movement thisopposite direction the circuit 1 will be broken to deenergize, the electrically operated device and release the supporting member therefrom. In the present device, the circuit breaking and closing element, or mercury tube switch has three contacts 26, Hand 28 which are so .arranged that when thetube isztilted in one direction the mercur therein'will connect the contacts 2? and 28 and when the tube is tilted :in the otherdirection the mercury will connect .tne cont acts 26 and 21. Referring to Figs.) and .3 of the drawings it will be noted that the termi- ,-nal or contact 2'! of the mercurytube is con-, .necte j r a; c or. 2,3; wit a term n ,3"

ductor '38.

which in turn is connected to'one side, 3|, of the power line. The contact 28 at one end of the tube is connected by a conductor 32 with a terminal 33, which terminal is'connected bya conductor 34 with one end of the coil of the electro-magnet l. The other end of the magnet coil is connected by a conductor 35 with a terminal 36, which is connected by a branch 31 to the other side, 38, in the power line. The terminal 33 is also connected by a conductor 39 with a lamp or group of lamps, as shown at 40, which lamp is connected with the line 38. The other end contact or terminal of the mercury tube, 26, is connected by a conductor 4] with a terminal i2 which is connected by a conductor 43 with a second lamp or group of lamps, as shown at A l, and this second lamp is also connected with the con- Itwill be apparent therefore that when the mercury tubeisin the position shown in Fig. 2 the circuit will be closed through both the electrically operated deviceor magnet and through the first lamp 40. When the mercury tube is tilted inthe otherdirection the circuit will be broken throughtheelectrically operated .device or magnet and through the lamp and will be closed through the second lamp or group of lamps l l. This arrangement closes the circuits through the two lamps alternately and if it is three contact tube.

When the mercury tube switch is inclined'in the r idirection shown in Figs. 2 and 8 the circuit will be closed through theelectrically operated device and upward movement will be imparted to the tube, thus tilting the same in the opposite direct ion. Thistilting movement will result in the breaking of the circuit through the electrically operated device before thetube hascompleted its movement and the inertia member will then function to assist in the completion of the move- .ment of the tube and its supporting member.

When the upward movement has been completed, and checked by the cushioning device, ,the tube and itssupporting member will, move downward ,by gravity but in so doing must overcome the inertia of the inertia element 16 and the action of this inertia element will causethe tube tomove downward at a relatively slow and uniform speed.

The tube will be tilted towardits first mentioned position sufficient .toagain close the circuit through the electrically operated device before the ,tube completes its downward movement butdue to the action of the inertia element the downward movement of the tube will be continued After come the inertia of the inertia element before the tube can begin its upward movement, thus pre venting the sudden starting or jerking of the tube. Due to the lag of the mercury in the curved tube the angular position. to which the tube must be movedto open the circuit is substantially higher than the position to which it must be moved to close the same.- Consequently the electrically operated device or motor will not begin to function until the tube has completed the major portion of t d nwa d ev m ei W1 h eqe fi nu to function until the tube has completed the major portion of its upward movement. By varying the power exerted on the supporting member to impart return or downward movement thereto, with relation to the power of the electrically operated device, the timing of the switch may be varied, that is, the circuit may be retained closed for a longer 1' shorter period of time with relation to the period that it remains open. In the present device, I have provided the supporting member 4 with an adjustable weight 45 which serves not only to increase the gravitational action of the support and the tube but may be adjusted lengthwise of the support to vary the gravitational power thereof.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, a pivoted supporting member, a circuit breaker and closer carried by said supporting member, an inertia element connected with said supporting member, an electrically operated device connected with said supporting member, power absorbing means for gradually checking the movement of said armature and said supporting member at the end of each movement thereof, and electrical con-- nections between said circuit breaker and closer and said electrically operated device to cause the latter to be operated when said supporting member is moved in one direction and to cause the operation thereof to be interrupted when said supporting member is moved in the other direction.

2. In a device of the'character described, a pivoted supporting member, a circuit breaker and closer carried by said supporting member, an inertia element connected with said supporting member, an electro-rnagnet having its armature connected with said supporting member, a retarding device yieldably connected with said supporting member for movement the 'ewith, means for interrupting the movement of said retarding device before said supporting member has completed its movement, and electrical connections between said circuit breaker and closer and said electro-magnet to cause the latter to be energized when said supporting member is moved in one direction and to be deenergized when said supporting member is moved in the other direction.

3. In a device of the character described, a pivoted supporting member, a circuit breaker and closer carried by said supporting member, an inertia element connected with said supporting member, an electro-magnet having its armature pivoted on an axis coincident with the axis of said supporting member and connected with said supporting member, a friction member interposed between and having frictional connection with said armature and said supporting member, means for interrupting the movement of said friction member before said armature and said supporting member have completed their movement, and electrical connections between said electro-magnet and said circuit breaker and closer to cause said magnet to be energized when said supporting member is moved in one direction and to be deenergized when said supporting member is moved in the other direction.

4. In a device of the character described, a

pivoted supporting member, a circuit breaker and closer carried by said supporting member, an inertia element connected with said supporting member, an electro-magnet having an armature pivoted on an axis coincident with the axis of said supporting member and connected with said sup porting member, a plate movably mounted about the axis of said armature and having means to limit its movement in either direction, a frictional element carried by said supporting member and bearing against said plate to cause said plate to move with said supporting member but to permit the latter to have movement with relation to said plate, and electrical connections between said circuit breaker and closer and said electro-magnet to cause the latter to be energized when said supporting member is moved in one direction and to be deenergized when said supporting member is moved in the other direction.

5. In a device of the character described, a pivoted supporting member movable in one direction by gravity and having at one end thereof a toothed rack, a rotatable inertia element, a pinion connected with said inertia element and meshing with said rack, a circuit breaker and closer carried by said supporting member, an electro-magnet having its armature operatively connected with said supporting member to move the latter in the other direction, and electrical connections between said circuit breaker and closer and said electro-magnet to cause the latter to be energized when said supporting member approaches the limit of its movement by gravity and to be deenergized when said supporting member approaches the limit of its movement in the other direction.

6. In a device of the character described, a circuit breaker and closer mounted for tilting movement and arranged to be moved in one direction by gravity, an electrically ope ated device to move said circuit breaker and closer in the opposite direction and connected in circuit therewith, said circuit br aker and closer being arranged to close the circuit through said electrically operated device before the gravity movement of said circuit breaker and closer has been completed, and an inertia element connected with said circuit breaker and closer independently of the actuating connection between said circuit breaker and closer and said el ctrically operated device and arranged to retard the initial movement thereof by gravity and to resist the action of said electrically operated device thereon after said circuit has been closed.

'7. In a device of the character described, a circuit breaker and closer mounted for tilting movement and arranged to be moved in one direction by gravity, an electrically operated device to move said circuit breaker and closer in the other direction and connected in circuit therewith, a freely rotatable inertia element, and means separate from the actuating connection between said circuit breaker and closer and said electrically operated device for connecting said inertia element with said circuit breaker and closer for moverent in unison and to cause to control the riovements of said circuit breaker and closer when the circuit for said electrically operated device has been broken.

8. In a device of the character described, a circuit breaker and closer mounted for tilting movement and arranged to be moved by gravity in a direction to close the same, an electrically operated device to move said circuit breaker and closer in a direction to open the same and connected in circuit therewith, a freely rotatable insaid inertia element 'ertia element connected with said circuit breaker and closer independently of the actuating connection between saidcircuit breaker and closer and said electrically operated device to impart .further movement thereto after said circuit. has

circuit breaker and closer mounted for tilting movement and arranged to be moved in one direc- 'tion by gravity, an electrically operated device to move said circuit breaker and closer in the other direction and connected in circuit therewith, and an inertia wheel connected with said circuit breaker and closer independently of the actuating connection between said circuit breaker and closer'and said electrically operated device to so control the movements thereof that said circuit breaker and closer will move at a substantially uniform rate of speed in both directions. 7

10. In a device of the character described, a circuit breaker and closer movable as a unit to cause the circuit to be opened and closed, a pivoted support, for said circuit breaker and closer having a toothed rack, an electro-magnet connected in circuit with said circuit breaker andcloser, a rotatory armature for said magnet connected with said circuit breaker and closer at the axis thereof, an inertia wheel, and a pinion connected with said inertia wheel and meshing with said toothed rack.

'11. In a device of the character described, a circuit. breaker and closer movable as a unit to cause the circuit to be opened and closed, a pivoted support for said circuit breaker and closer having a toothed rack, an electro-magnet connected in circuit with said circuit breaker and closer, a rotatory armature for said magnet connected with said circuit breaker and closer at the axis thereof, to move the same'in one direction, an adjustable weight connected with said circuit breaker and closerto move the same in the other direction, an inertia wheel, and a pinion connected with said inertia wheel and meshing with said rack.

v12. In a device of the character described, a

circuit breaker and closer mounted for tilting circuit breaker and closer mounted for tilting movement and arranged to be moved in one direction by gravity, and an inertia element connected with said circuit breaker and closer and arranged to retard the initial movement thereof in both directions, and an electrically operated -device connected in circuit with said circuit breaker and closer and having means operating independently of said inertia element to move said circuit breaker and closer in the'opposite direction. v

lations of said inertia element.

l ijIn a device of the character described, a pivoted supporting member, a circuit breaker and closer supported by said member and adapted to be opened and closed by the pivotal movement thereof, an eleotro-magnet having an armature 15. In a device of the character described, a

switch mounted for movement as a whole about 'a fixed axis, an electro-magnet connected in circuit with said switch, a rotary armature for said magnet connected with said switch at the axis thereof, an inertia wheel, and means for operatively connecting said inertia wheel with said switch.

16. In a device of the character described, a

pivoted supporting member, a mercury tube switch mounted on said supporting member for movement therewith, an electro-magnet connected in circuit with said switch, a rotary armature for said magnet separate from said supporting member and connected therewith at the axis thereof, an inertia Wheel, and means for operatively connecting said inertia wheel with said supporting member.

l7. Ina device of the character described, an

oscillatory. member, power means for imparting oscillatory movement to said member, and power absorbing and dissipating means for limiting the excess of said oscillatory movement.

18. In a device of the character described, an oscillatory member, power means. for intermittently imparting energy to said member to cause oscillatory movement thereof, and energy absorbing and dissipating means to limit the amplitude of said movement.

19. In a device of the character described, an oscillatory member, power means for imparting oscillatory movement to said member, and frictional power absorbing means for limiting the amplitude of the oscillations of said member.

20. In a device of the character described,'an

oscillatory member, electrical means for imparting an oscillatory movement to said member, means controlled by said member to'intermittently energize said electrical-means, and power absorbing means to limit the amplitude of th oscillations of said member.

21. In a device or the character described, an

oscillatory inertia element, a pivoted member connected .with said oscillatory' member for movement'therewith, a magnet acting on said pivoted member to impart movement to said inertia element, means connected with said pivoted member to intermittently energize said magnet, and frictional means acting on said pivoted member to limit the amplitude of the oscil- GEORGE H. LELAND. I 

